A community speedwatch group in Freshwater received a welcome visit from Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely earlier this week where they highlighted the important work they are doing to tackle speeding on the Island’s roads.
Since it was formed in April this year, Freshwater Community Speedwatch has recruited and trained 14 volunteers, all of whom want to help tackle dangerous driving and drive down the number of road traffic accidents on the Island’s roads.
The group operates around 10x 1-hour sessions per month and captures data that can be used by the police to educate offenders prior to any enforcement action.
Following the session on Monday morning, the coordinator of the Freshwater Speedwatch volunteers said:
“It was great to have Bob visit the Freshwater Community Speedwatch team and see first-hand what we do. We’re now into our 11th week of collecting information on speeding vehicles and, instead of opinions or feelings that people are speeding, we now have facts.
“There has been tremendous support from local residents to help tackle the issue which ultimately affects the safety of us all – speed kills.”
Bob Seely said:
“I was pleased to see first-hand the valuable work being done by the Freshwater Community SpeedWatch Group to make our roads safer. We are lucky to have such dedicated volunteers on the Island.
Article continues below this advertisement “Road traffic incidents can have long-lasting and devastating consequences for families, so the more preventative work that can be done to reduce the chance of accidents occurring, the better.
“Communities are best placed to know where the problem areas are, so I have encouraged this group to get in touch with the new dedicated Roads Policing Team when they are in place.
“We haven’t had a dedicated roads policing unit on the Island for several years, but now, we have been promised one. We have the highest killed/serious injury rate from road accidents outside London which is why we were successful earlier this year in getting an uplift in the number of officers doing roads policing work on the Island.
“Soon we will have two dedicated roads policing officers plus more supporting from the joint roads policing/armed response unit.
“I know that dangerous driving, high speeds and noise-related issues caused by illegal exhausts is still a problem on the Island. These officers, supported by community speedwatch groups, will go some way to ameliorating these issues.”
Let’s hope they manage to curb some of the entitled cyclist behaviour….
When you say ‘entitled cyclist ‘ do you mean someone who does not yield to car drivers who think because they are in a car that they do not have to give way to cyclists even when they have too?
When you say ‘entitled cyclist ‘ do you mean someone who gets annoyed when a driver is so impatient that they over take in the face of oncoming traffic forcing the cyclist of the road???
The roads are to be shared, just because you have a 4×4 you do not have a god given right to bully your way through traffic.
My version of “entitled cyclist” is someone like the cyclists who shouted at me today as they tore towards me three abreast that “it is a road”. I was quite aware of that and also that the road had no pavement, there were parked cars on the side of the cyclists and I was walking towards the traffic.
I just looked out my window and can’t see the mythical 4×4 you awarded me.
Well said fred, your wasting your time trying to get through to some of these bone head racers on here.
You know what, i don’t think I’ve ever heard of a cyclist being prosecuted for an offence, and, unless their a local oik, you won’t because that would harm the cultivation of cycling on the island as a greener way to travel, so the lycra
crowd can do what they want.
Yes totally agree 5 abreast up a hill on a 60 mph limit totally ignorant no need for it I pay for the roads they don’t
PS
You don’t pay any more than others for roads. We all pay taxes, it goes to one pot, some of it goes to road. You pay for emissions (VED) and drivers can pay same £0 just like cyclists if they have an electric car.
And believe me, you DON’T want cyclist to pay taxes on wear and tear basis of the road either because if proportionate then a charge of a cyclist for £100 a year on a 15kg bike would mean £13,300 for an average 2000kg car.
Not to mention we all – even those who don’t drive – pay in taxes A LOT in subsidiesto allow drivers to store (park) their __private__ cars on the road.
It’s funny how people often moan about benefit takers but never about this.
Actually they do pay for the roads, in case you are unaware roads are paid for from general taxation
Well done bob why don’t you get the d v s a to stop the noisy cars with modified exhausts just like you stopped the motor cross for your b. Chums
Ha must be mainlanders speeding as the locals don’t drive over 20 probably as they are in the middle on the road
group operates around 10x 1-hour sessions per month and captures data that can be used by the police to educate offenders prior to any enforcement action.
…….
Neighbours spying on neighbours – thought that ended in stalinist russia.
with an MP supporting it, this is another leg down on a slippery slope to a nation of grasses
if you dont break the law you have nothing to worry about.
If you comply with our mind control, we wont have to imprison you far off and away in the gulag.
Correct, the sooner we get more traffic police the safer law abiding drivers will be, can’t wait to see more of these illegal wrecks taken off the roads so those of us with proper cars have more space to enjoy driving.
Neighbours endangering neighbours’ lives by speeding is even less cool I’d argue.
I’d much rather have someone report speeding drivers to police than, you know… die. But that’s just me.
What utter bilge from isle of wighter !! The only slippery slope is the one we seem to be on now towards motorists totally ignoring speed limits resulting in lots more injuries and fatalities unless more is done to punish those who selfishly ignore the limits. With police budgets cut to the bone by government, anything volunteers can do to assist must be beneficial. It seems clear that the lack of roads policing is also giving the impression that people can get away with drink and drug driving.
busy body grasses
Living in Freshwater the amount od speedi g cars loud exhaust up and down Queen Street
Few who speed no the dangers, yet are aware that the chances of being caught and punished are remote.
This type of thing only adds to the knowledge that a letter pointing out the dangers etc is likely the worse that will happen to speeding motorists unless they are unlucky enough to find a real speed camera
*Know
Hi, I think you misunderstood the article. Your right, in saying, speeding motorists, have come, accustomed, to no operational speed camera s on the Island. But, I read it as,= if you are caught speeding by these (Brilliant) volunteers, you will be notified by letter, to mend yr ways. Then presumably, second/third time etc it will be fines/points. I do feel, that the first speeding offence, should be acted on, with fines/points etc, as the second time they speed, people could get killed, which could of possibly, been prevented, in the first instance.
There are more than roads in Freshwater where idiots speed. But of course Freshwater is right on ol’ bungling Bobs doorstep, so of course it gets a mention.
Hope they catch the stubborn old cyclists that go against the one way systems in the High Street and The Avenue, Freshwater and who shout abuse when reminded that it’s a dangerous thing to do !
Too little too late. If we did that in Ryde, we would run out of storage with all the photos of speeding drivers.
We are lucky to have volunteers, Bob, it’s you and your mates in local council and national government that have created the need for volunteers in most ares thanks to the ‘austerity’ you created to keep your mega rich pals in nice houses and cars.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. They are the ones who pay your benefits lol.
I work night shifts on the big island, (which is and has been made difficult with the shit ferries, and no i’m not moving over there because i was born and raised on our beautiful island), and have never claimed a single benefit my whole working life and hope i never have to, unlike the rule makers that claim for anything from the free for all ‘extras’ pot that we actually pay for.
Boom. Good reply.
What? SPEED WATCH don’t they know it’s nearly time for the iow formula 1 Grand Prix? Everybody on the island is out doing there speed laps and trying to get pole.AFew crashes and a bit of speeding is inevitable.
That’s all year round, isn’t it?!!
Sorry don’t agree with this at all it shouldn’t b in the hands of the public who do they think they are and who watchs there driving. The roads should be policed only that’s wot I pay for
They need to check the speed of the traffic on Alum Bay Old Road,
It’s a narrow lane not a speed track.
Absolutely agree, the speed of southern vectis buses in a single track lane, completely astonishing, only if you have seen it will you understand. Mainland coaches also.
They’ve been down freshwater bay.
Gave them a wave and they ignored. Seem to be arrogant. Wave
Someone should monitor the dangerous actions of what can only be described as a complete jerk, pulling some stupid moves in a dark grey Toyota Hi Lux on the Whitwell road Ventnor. Menacing & erratic, driving on the bumper. Very poor decisions to over take witnessed several times lately. He had to abort a stupid manoeuvre of over taking me to avoid a head on crash. This stupidity will result in an accident. Then when I learned his dangerous cargo is cans carrying 100s of litres of petrol, makes me shudder at the thought of what if!
Sure weren’t that stolen diesel ?. Why only a letter – either speeding or not so get photo camera and Court. Stop worrying about low over speed,twit in Niton in purple fiesta always trying to do 50 plus in 30, maybe he also drives a Toyota , evenings we have them doing 60/70 in a 30.
Surprised he turned up for this, although he must be used to watching people getting away with wrongdoing, what with the conservative party gate debacle. Did someone say half a sausage?
His dear leader can’t even run a comb through his hair, let alone run the country.
Just collecting votes…
So dodgy Bob turned up for a photo op with the volunteer Vigilantes? It’s about time we had a MP who lived here and actually cared about Island residents ( Remember Stephen Ross?) rather than a career politician who sees this as a stepping stone to greater things.
Nimby busybodies who hate to see anybody enjoying a day out. No basis in law for the “evidence” they collect. If I see them out on the road I will be sure to flick them the bird on my way past.
Completely agree. Pencil necked nosy parkers who think they are policemen. I bet they tremble with excitement when they pull on the hi-viz.Should mind their own business and FRO. I will make sure I pull a nice big fat wheelie when I see them, or maybe drop a rev bomb.
You really are pathetic, must be an islander. Someone gives up their time to help the community stay safe and you open your mouth and come out with ridiculous comments, how about you give up some time and make the island a safer place to live?
That’s just shows your ignorance so I doubt anyone would be bothered what you flick, and if stopping anyone from speeding saves my kids life then its worth it. I don’t suppose you have no family to worry about by sound of you,